Washington
Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, 1851 (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
JOINING THE FIRST U.S. PRESIDENT'S HOME
Anne Khanh-Van, born in 1974, a
resident of Virginia, has contributed many special articles. After graduating with a degree in
Finance/Accounting and residing for a period in France, the author relocated to
the United States and currently spends her time between working, continuing her
advanced education and writing... Anne
Khanh-Van received Grand Prize of Writing on America Contest for the Best
Writing & Writer of the year of 2007.
She also received a Presidential Volunteer Service Award from the White
House and USA Freedom Corps for over 900 hours of volunteer services in 2007
& 2008 and an Outstanding Academic Excellence award of the President’s
Education Awards program in 2011.
***
The city where I
live features the Potomac River, which runs past the nation’s capital, Washington, DC to the West, then
continues East past boat docks, monuments and many
historical sites, especially “Old Town” Alexandria, one
of the oldest cities in the country... Every year, millions of
tourists come to visit, regardless of the
weather, sunny or snowing.
When I
bought my new house and moved from the northwest to the
southeast of Alexandria, I "showed off" with my family: "I am joining the neighborhood of the First President
of the United States." I was just
joking a little bit when saying that, because on the way to my home there are street signs leading to Mount
Vernon, home of the first President
of the United States - George Washington.
At the time of my move, both of my parents
had yet to arrive in the United States. They were
excited and looked
forward to the opportunity to
visit Mount Vernon... yet, time had passed; I
had lived in southeast Alexandria almost 15 years
(less than ten minutes' drive from President Washington's home); and I had still not stepped inside. Being in the United States for a long time
does not necessarily mean that we
know enough about its history, especially the story of the “father” of this
country, as he is known to many Americans.
Fate leads the path...
Then last
summer, several companies in the same type of business as the company I was
currently working with, contacted me and asked me to consider joining them. After
carefully comparing all the pros and cons, I selected the best offer and agreed to
join them within a week. This new company was located a
bit further from my home, compared to where I was currently working; but there would be better opportunities to advance my career. I enjoyed a farewell lunch with friends at the current company and was preparing to start
the new job the following week, when the George Washington's Mount Vernon organization contacted me about a
job opening. I honestly told them that
I'd already accepted a job offer with a different company; but I was still invited to come to
talk about the opening in more details.
I became curious
and wanted to explore this somewhat “last minute” and rare opportunity.
Attending an interview at Mount Vernon was a bit different: it would be my first time visiting the estate of the first
President of the United States. I was
taken around the President’s
private residence, visiting the upper and lower gardens;
passing through fruit gardens and
nurseries; and observing immense meadows
with sheep, horses,
cows and pigs lying
under the sun. By the time we finished the tour, I had spent
nearly an hour outside on a warm mid-Summer’s day, and
had begun to perspire just a bit… fortunately, however, I was guided into the
cool air conditioning inside just in time.
Ford Orientation
Center is where a regular visit to Mount
Vernon begins for most tourists. Each
visitor steps away from the ticket counter and is almost immediately
rewarded with the sight of the Washington family statues. I stopped
there for thirty seconds. I wanted "spiritually" to be greeted
by the Washingtons’ family and to shake their hands.
We continued our
tour
by entering the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and
Education Center, which displays
a rich and comprehensive collection of objects
that spans George Washington's lifetime.
The museum also presents a history of heroic efforts taken by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association to preserve, restore and manage
this inheritance from the first President of the United
States… an inheritance that has been protected for the benefit of all
Americans for more than 160 years.
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| Washington's Family |
During
the
"interview," which was quite a bit different from the routine, I was listening and
observing more than talking. Every step I took and
every picture I
saw was accompanied by narratives that were told with such enthusiasm, love and respect toward
the Father of the country that I felt
like a special guest of the
President, rather than a job-interviewee. That is
actually the slogan of the Mount
Vernon association: "Each visitor will be given
a respectful and friendly
welcome as a
guest of honor of President George Washington
and his wife, Martha Washington."
With more than six
hundred employees, four hundred volunteers and a requirement to
welcome more than a million visitors annually, the work
ethic and attitude of each member of the Mount Vernon association’s
team is to always embody George Washington’s courtesy
and hospitality, a tradition at
Mount Vernon for more than 250 years.
After more than an
hour’s walking around, we arrived
at the building where the Finance Department was situated and my interview began in earnest.
We discussed details of
the job opening and its scope of responsibilities. The Department was seeking innovation
and process improvements, and the Controller ended our conversation
with a very positive
and persuasive statement: "There is no other workplace like this
place. Every day
coming to work here, you will feel very special." He was right. There is only one first
President of the United States. There is only one Mount Vernon, which George Washington adopted as his homeland and his
final resting place. I thanked
my hosts for their hospitality and for the nearly two
hours’ time dedicated to me, and I asked to have a night to think everything over...
I left the place
with mixed feelings: happy and excited! I hadn’t
gone there for an
interview before their contact, because I had not known that there was an opening
available. I was so certain that
I would start with the other job that I didn't really expect anything to result
from this visit, but I hoped to develop a professional network for future
opportunities. After the day’s meetings
however, I had the feeling that I was…
the chosen!
An obvious benefit
when working at Mount Vernon would be the short commute. I would not have to
struggle with the congested traffic…
25 miles each way…that would face me each day at the workplace where I had
tentatively accepted employment. Instead,
I would be able to drive easily along the scenic Mount Vernon Parkway in
relatively light traffic for only a few minutes. In short, acceptance of the MVLA offer would
provide some special lifestyle benefits;
however, it might also mean acceptance
of fewer employment benefits, since nonprofit organizations
(compared to private companies) are sometimes restricted by their limited resources.
In the past 15 years, I'd worked only for government contractors.
I had not thought of going
to non-profit organizations,
nor to federal agencies.
The company I
had been planning to join next week was also a private company. They had agreed to continue
my 7 weeks of PTO, in spite of the fact that I did not
have any seniority with them; and
they had also promised to share with me a 15% to 22% bonus each year. My
decision to join their firm was based in large part on the fact that they had
offered the most generous salary and benefits agreement.
Now, if I chose to join the MVLA, I
had to find explanations to support withdrawal of my acceptance of their employment offer. Not an easy thing to do under normal
circumstances... but even harder when they had just asked what kind of laptop and smart-phone
I wanted. They had
even shown me my new business cards, just
received from the printing company...
I looked for
advice: I truly admired the people at Mount Vernon. I decided to look
closely at the traditions of this historic place and learn from MVLA’s Father: how and what would George Washington
do when he faced difficult circumstances?
George at Valley Forge
The battle for independence
In
1775, George Washington was approved and assigned by the Continental Congress
as the commander of the entire US military, including reservists, cavalry and
artillery throughout the country from north to south, from Maine down to South
Georgia. At the end of the year,
Washington let his soldiers go back home for the Holidays. Early 1776, because his soldiers weren't paid,
most of them didn't return to their units.
Many
times soldiers deserted, officers left the troops and even one of his key Generals
switched sides and fought for the British (Benedict Arnold)… but Thomas Paine was
on Washington's side; "These are the times that try men's souls," he
wrote. The words struck the hearts and
minds of his soldiers in the cold night before Christmas 1776 and led to
publication of the great pamphlet, "The Crisis (1)."
Between
Christmas and New Year, Washington and his troops crossed the icy Delaware River
three times, bringing the victory of Trenton and opening the next successful
military campaign: the final battle for Yorktown in 1781.
George
Washington respected loyalty and friendship.
For that reason, he maintained trusted friends, and their commitments
helped him win the war. On September 20,
1781, after meeting with Comte de Rochambeau and his closest friend, the Marquis
De Lafayette, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, General Washington issued the
General Orders. On October 19, 1781,
after a succession of attacks from the sea and from northern Virginia down
along Hwy 17, the British imperial army was boxed into the Yorktown River area.
With Washington's intelligent strategic
planning (and the on-time arrival of the promised French naval fleet), Colonial
troops, local militia and the French fleet staged their attack at the Chesapeake
Bay’s inlet … the British surrendered.
On
October 20, 1781, Lord Cornwallis wrote to his superior, "I have the
mortification to inform your Excellency that I have been forced to give up the
posts of York and Gloucester, and to surrender the troops under my
command."
Although
his army reeled from one misfortune to another, Washington had the courage,
determination and mental agility to keep the American cause one step ahead of
complete disintegration until he figured out how to win the unprecedented
revolutionary struggle that he was leading.
He recognized the need to withdraw or even to lose certain battles; but
at the end, he won the war because Lord Cornwallis surrendered and ended the
British grip on the Americas.
Treaty of Paris in 1783
Peace
talks began in April 1782 and continued throughout the summer. Representing the United States were Benjamin
Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens and John Adams. On England’s side were David Hartley and
Richard Oswald. The Treaty was signed in
Paris in the hotel d'York (presently 56 Rue Jacob) on September 3, 1783, signed
by Adams, Franklin, Jay and Hartley
(1).
The
United States had won its independence. On
December 23, 1783, Washington officially resigned as Commander of American
forces. Like Cincinnatus, the hero of
Classical antiquity whose conduct he most admired, Washington had the wisdom to
give up power when he could have been crowned a king. Washington went home to Mount Vernon with a
firm intention of never again serving in public life. This one act, without
precedent in modern history, made him an international hero.
*
Last year, when I was volunteering for the VITA program (Certified Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance of the IRS), which provides
free income tax return preparation assistance to qualified individuals in the
community, I did the tax return for a young lady in the Alexandria area. When I saw that she was working at the Mount Vernon Ladies'
Association (MVLA), I was
wondering why Ladies' Association? Was it an organization owned
by women at Mount Vernon? Honestly, I was not very good in history. At that time, I did not know Mount
Vernon Ladies' Association
had something to do with the estate of President George
Washington, so I asked the young lady where
Mount Vernon was and what kind of jobs they had over there.
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| Fall Harvest Family |
She told me that there were all kind of jobs, jobs for everybody and that she was working at the gift shop. On Presidents'
Day, she said, “Everyone can come to visit without tickets. If you are off that day,
please come by, and you will see me at the gift shop. The souvenirs there will not be found anywhere else; they are unique to
GWMV.
The restaurant at
Mount Vernon also has very good menus. You would feel very special when you eat
vegetable that are grown right there in the President's gardens." Oh, so that was the George Washington's Mount Vernon
that I had always wanted to come visit!
I was asking
myself… were the
meeting and the conversations
with that young lady a foretold sign
that I would join this place?
In general, money is
important. 20%
bonus less, 2 weeks
of vacation less and a few other things
less… all adding up would be significant
each year. With that
money, I could pay for a graduate program. I wasn't sure if I had heard
the summons of
Thomas Paine or of General George Washington back
in 1776, but I was convinced.
I believe
everything happens for a reason and this time, I even felt stronger.
Joining GW's force...
I "joined
the army of General George Washington" (with fair pay) at the
busiest time of the year. People
often think that working in government agencies or
non-profit organizations will be more relaxing than
working in a
private company. But
from what I
saw and experienced
right at the beginning at George Washington's Mount
Vernon, that wasn't so.
I started
my day at 8:30 am and did not leave the
office before 7pm
(sometimes 8pm). And
many times, when I left the office, the
controller and CFO were still working.
I learned my new job
and at the same time helped them with the budgeting work.
Annual council meetings
take place every October. Regents from around the
U.S. will be reunited at Mount Vernon. They will carefully
review proposed budgets for each department.
These are the numbers and charts defining
operational and spending plans for each department at MVLA, prepared from two or
three months before.
As shown by President George
Washington, a good
general doesn't need to win all battles, but needs to know how to sparingly save resources and preserve the
strength needed for final victory. In that spirit, the Regents are very
strict in approving
the budget for
each department. Having
money does not mean spending unconsciously (or wasting resources). When considering the budgets for approval,
they will have
lots of questions. The head of each department
will have an opportunity to explain the need for higher budgets. Each will
have to convince the
Regents of the need for every aspect of
their new plans, and to describe expected results and the anticipated benefits
to the estate.
I was
mentally prepared for the details and progress
of these council meetings
several months before they were to take place; but I still felt growing tension
within our departments as the start date for the board meeting
got closer. We
stayed late nearly every evening, trying to have everything done. Some days, we didn't go home until 9 or 10
pm. Most conversations began with, "The Regents
are coming soon..." or "Make
sure we get everything done nicely and properly..."
I became more curious. I was asking myself how
those Regents looked; who were they; what were their personalities; and how did they
instill such deep respect within their employees, each of whom took their jobs
so seriously?! I
also wanted to know
why the residence of the first President of
the United States became the responsibility
of this Ladies' Association, rather than falling under the management and care of the White House.
The First President
Although Washington longed for a peaceful life at Mount
Vernon, following the end of the Revolutionary War, the affairs of the new nation
continued to occupy his attentions. In
1787, Washington recognized once more the need to serve his country. Watching development of current affairs, he was
keenly aware of problems following independence of a young republic, which struggled
under the “Articles of Confederation,” a structure of government that distributed
power among the various colonies, or states. The states were not unified and fought among
themselves over boundaries and navigation rights. They refused to contribute towards paying off
the nation's war debt. Washington
realized what must be done to solve these complex problems and to stabilize the
newly-independent states.
During
the 1789 presidential election, George Washington received a vote from every
elector to the Electoral College – he remains the only president in American
history to have been elected by unanimous approval. He took
the oath of office at Federal Hall (26 Wall Street) in New York City, the
capital of the United States at that time, and he quickly proved to be a
talented administrator. He surrounded
himself with some of the most capable people in the country. He appointed Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of
the Treasury and Finance, and Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State. He delegated authority wisely and regularly
consulted with his cabinet; he listened closely to their recommendations before
making decisions (2).
As
the first President, Washington was astutely aware that his presidency would
set a precedent for all that would follow. He thus established an executive approach that
always put the national interests above all others, and he exercised executive
power with maximum restraint and almost absolute honesty. In doing so, Washington set a standard for
presidential integrity rarely met by his successors, while establishing an
ideal by which all are judged.
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The Gristmill and Distillery in
1799
|
Owning the biggest distillery and producing the best whiskey
in the country at Mount Vernon, Washington nevertheless signed a bill in 1791 allowing
Congress to establish a tax on distillers in order to support government
operations and to repay the Nation’s war debts.
These taxes, however, aroused protests in rural areas of Pennsylvania
and other western states, where farmers converted extra grain into whisky,
which was easier to transport and to preserve.
In fact, whisky was often used as money in many rural areas. Quickly, the protests turned into a
comprehensive challenge to the federal government’s power, known as the Whiskey
Rebellion. Washington called for the
establishment of a national armed force with the Militia Act of 1792, calling
upon the local militias from several states to join together to put down the
rebellion. Washington personally took
command, marching the troops into the areas of rebellion and demonstrating that
the federal government would use force, when necessary, to enforce the law.
George Washington served two
presidential terms (1789-1797),
but he was the only U.S. President who did not occupy the White
House, because it was not completed until after his death. During his two terms as president, the
U.S. Capital was located first in New York and then in Philadelphia. However, George Washington played a major
role in development of the new federal city that was named after him (Washington,
District of Columbia), while overseeing design of both the Capitol Building and
the White House.
In 1797,
the Washingtons said farewell to public life and returned to their
beloved Mount Vernon, to live out their remaining lives surrounded
by relatives, friends
and a constant
stream of visitors, eager to pay their
respects to the famous couple. Unfortunately for Washington, his time at Mount Vernon did not last very long.
On Thursday,
December 12, 1799, George Washington
was caught in a cold weather front while
on horseback, supervising farming
activities on his lands from late
morning until three in the
afternoon, when the weather turned
from light snow, to
hail and then to rain. Upon arrival home, it
was recommended that he change out of his wet riding clothes; but known for
being punctual, he didn't want to make everyone wait and chose
to remain in his wet clothes for
dinner. He developed a sore throat, which rapidly became increasingly worse; and George
Washington passed away on December
14, 1799.
After George Washington
died, Martha burned
all of their love letters to ensure the privacy
of the two. She died
of severe fever on May 22, 1802. Both are
buried at Mount
Vernon, where George
himself had planned a modest
tomb for them.
By the time of his death, George Washington
had expanded the plantation from 2,000 to 8,000 acres at Mount Vernon,
consisting of five farms, with more than 3,000 acres under cultivation. In addition, he also owned more than 50,000
acres in parts of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky and
Ohio. George Washington became one of
the largest land holders in the United States at the time. These significant acquisitions not only made
Washington wealthy in terms of his land holdings, but also encouraged his
strong interest in the westward expansion of the United States (3).
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The Mansion before restoration
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In
1850,
John Augustine Washington
III, brother of
George Washington, became the
owner of Mount Vernon. Unable to maintain this huge estate, he offered it for sale
in 1851. After the Commonwealth
of Virginia and the federal government turned him down,
Washington III agreed to sell the Mansion with 200 acres of
adjoining land to the Ladies' Association
in 1858.
If
the men of this country could not do…
The founder of the Mount
Vernon Ladies' Associations was Ann
Pamela Cunningham. She was born in 1816
in Laurens County,
South Carolina. A dedicated horseback riding enthusiast in her youth, she was
thrown from a horse as an adolescent.
That accident, which caused her chronic pain for the
majority of her life, led to regular medical treatment
by Dr. Hugh
Hodge in Philadelphia,
where she and her mother regularly traveled, returning
to South Carolina by boat (4).
Witnessing the deteriorating
state of
the Mount Vernon
properties as their boat steamed by on the Potomac River, Cunningham's mother shared with
her daughter, "I was painfully distressed at the ruin and desolation of the
home of Washington and the thought passed through my mind: Why was it that the
women of his country did not try to keep it in repair, if the men could not do
it? It does seem such a blot on our country!"
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|
Regent Ann Pamela Cunningham
|
Cunningham was inspired by her mother's sentiments and took
up the cause of purchasing and restoring Mount Vernon. She founded
the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association - an organization that was responsible for the conservation and restoration of Mount
Vernon. In doing so, she established one of the earliest
preservation and heritage organizations in the United States, as
well as
the first women’s association. She urged
other women to join, each representative of a state;
and together, they raised money
for the cause of restoration and preservation.
By
1858,
Cunningham (Vice Regent
of the MVLA) had raised enough money to offer
a down payment of $18,000 for George Washington’s home and
surrounding grounds. According to
the purchase agreement, the Association
had four years
to pay off the
remaining amount: $182,000, which became due February 22,
1862. Upon delivering the down payment, Cunningham quickly busied
herself with selecting additional Vice-Regents, raising funds and publishing The Mount Vernon Record, a newspaper
that chronicled efforts of the Association and printed the names of every
monetary contributor. There were
13 Regents, representing
the 13 states, when they held their first board meeting.
Cunningham was the head
of the organization from its founding in 1853 until she
stepped down in
1874. With her health in serious decline, Cunningham
resigned her leadership, but strongly encouraged
her compatriots: "Ladies, the Home of Washington is in your charge; see to it
that you keep it the Home of Washington. Let no irreverent hand change it; no
vandal hands desecrate it with the fingers of progress!" Cunningham returned
to her home in South Carolina, where she died in 1875.
Since 1853,
the MVLA has taken great pride in
its independent standing: "No
Government Dollars!" The Mount
Vernon Ladies' Association has never taken any money/funds from the US
government, nor taxes from its people. MVLA continuously raises necessary funds by
itself and with great success. For an organization that
is 160 years old to always work
well, completely independent
and self-financing, requires the dedication and skill of competent
staff and caring volunteers, all sharing a love and respect for
the beloved First
President, and most importantly, possessing the wisdom and operational
sophistication needed to preserve, restore and manage the estate of George Washington
to the highest standards.
2013: Opening of the library…
President George
Washington excelled in mathematics and learned the
rudiments of surveying. George's
father died when he was only eleven years old, leaving
most property to George's older half-brothers. Being the
oldest in a family of six children, George helped his mother manage the Rappahannock
River plantation where they lived. George did not go to college,
nor to England to finish his schooling, as
was the case with his elder half-brothers (and with the children
of other wealthy planters). Instead
he learned the importance of hard work and efficiency. He also enjoyed reading and research.
In 1787, when
writing to his friend, James McHenry,
George shared a desire to build a library to house all of
his accumulated books and papers.
According to the letter, the number of
books was described as "voluminous" and potentially
"interesting" to future generations. His sudden death in 1799,
however, left George's dream of building
the library unfulfilled. But more
than two hundred years later, his dream
has at last become a reality.
In 2010, the MVLA announced the creation of the Fred W. Smith
National Library for the study of George Washington
to further the mission
of the organization: to advance
appreciation and understanding of
George Washington. The announcement immediately resulted in a remarkable gift of $38 million from the Donald W.
Reynolds Foundation, the largest donation in the history of the MVLA since 1853.
The Campaign for the Library – with Vice Regent for Florida, Gay Hart
Gaines, as chair – set an ambitious
goal: to raise $100
million to build the
library. The
campaign exceeded its goal by raising the $106.4 million in
June 2013, all provided
by private donors (5).
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The Fred W. Smith National Library
|
Construction work began
in April 2011, and on September
27, 2013, nearly 1,200 supporters, scholars and representatives of the
government and community gathered
together on the grounds of the new library
for a stirring and inspiring grand opening ceremony, beginning a new era
of research, scholarship and educational outreach for Mount
Vernon.
As Regent
Ann Bookout explained
when she addressed
guests attending that morning opening, "This library enables us to reach
out across the country and around the world to educate
millions about this
indispensable man. His example is more important in today's world than
ever before, and this
Library will keep his legacy alive (5)."
Among the
more than one million
visitors each year, from within and outside the country, there are nearly 400
thousand youths and
more than 50 thousand
guests who come to explore Mount Vernon's Hands-on-History Center. George Washington's Mount Vernon is open 365
days a year; and among its numerous
events and special
ceremonies, my favorite event is the Purple Heart award. The
ceremony is solemn and deeply moving. Occasionally, new Americans
also take their oaths of citizenship at Mount Vernon, increasing
the meaning of
their new American citizenship. With our
new website (http://www.mountvernon.org/), we are
confident that we will grow our website traffic to 7.5 million visitors
annually.
*
Sometimes from
my desk, I look into
the hallway and see a tall man
with white hair,
dressed in 18th century clothes... he quickly
passes by. Was it
General George Washington?
Another time, I saw his wife, Martha, in similar
18th century costume. Here at Mount Vernon, we
don't really call George Washington the “President,” but the “General.” Calling him the "President" is totally right, but that sounds a bit too distant and formal for his humble and simple
personality, even though he later became President. Lady Martha is also
very friendly and generous. Seeing the actors
who play General Washington,
Mrs. Martha and the
many farm workers living in Mount Vernon with them
(shepherds, farmers, flautists... all
regularly appear in
costumes of the 18th
century to greet and talk with today’s guests),
I have the feeling that General Washington and
his wife are still very much alive.
They seem always to be here at Mount Vernon, so
lively and so
real. How could they not exist when
most farm activities still operate so regularly? Vegetables in the garden are still green. Wheat is
harvested yearly.
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Washington's Whiskey
|
Each year, MVLA contributes about 5
thousand pounds of
produce to the local food banks. Whiskey in the formula and
ingredients of George
Washington’s day are still produced… about 500
gallons annually. And of course, Mount Vernon is always
paying taxes on its alcohol, as George
Washington did by example in 1791.
National Geographic
Traveler
magazine, June 6/7
2014 issue, records that Washington
D.C. is one of
the places that are worth visiting
in the world. And of course, George Washington's
Mount Vernon can't
be missed when visiting Washington DC.
The
road
along the banks of the Potomac River from
Langley to George
Washington’s home at Mount Vernon is 25 miles
long. In the memory of our first President, the road was named after him: the George
Washington Memorial Parkway.
Joining Mount
Vernon home has meant that I learn new things
every day, and
the learning stream seems never to
stop. When the Regents
of Mount Vernon
put their hands
together to rebuild one of the country's lasting treasures, they created an endeavor that Sir Walter Scott described in poetry:
"Unless to mortals
it were given
To dip his brush in dyes of Heaven."
To dip his brush in dyes of Heaven."
I was
fortunate to have been able to sit in the most recent board
meetings. I can now better see why, in a huge country
like this, that there have been only 30
women on the
board of George Washington's Mount Vernon.
“Rich is not how much we have, but how much we can give,” in the view of these
Regents. They
instill in people (especially the women), love
and admiration toward the first President of the
United States, in particular, and
the inheritance of the country, in
general. Thanks to
the Regents for
marking greatness in American history
and in the history of mankind.
*
One of the many pleasant things that often happen during the workdays over here is that occasionally we will receive a notice: "One of our sheep lost her way home. If you see her, please contact us to help her get back to her herd..." No map of the property is readily available, so even I would get lost on this huge estate, making it easily understandable that the sheep might get lost if they don't carry a GPS!
One of the many pleasant things that often happen during the workdays over here is that occasionally we will receive a notice: "One of our sheep lost her way home. If you see her, please contact us to help her get back to her herd..." No map of the property is readily available, so even I would get lost on this huge estate, making it easily understandable that the sheep might get lost if they don't carry a GPS!
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| Dean Norton (left), July 1969 |
The Director
of Horticulture at Historic Mount Vernon has been
working there for 45 years. He came in 1969
as a sophomore in high school and never left.
I've not known anyone who
has been working for only one workplace
for 45 years. I told Dean,
"You must have been chosen by our General
George Washington himself... because
our General loved his gardens and his estate dearly.” This past New Year, Dean told me, "Happy
New Year… and I hope you will love this place and last 45 years as I have
done."
George Washington personally
designed, then redesigned the gardens and grounds surrounding his home. He reshaped walks, roads and lawns; cut
vistas through the forest; and planted hundreds of native trees and shrubs
himself. He wouldn't let anyone else take
care of his gardens and grounds; but when he was away from home during the
Revolutionary War, his love of Mount Vernon is revealed by letters he wrote
each week to Lund Washington, who was his overseer and whose home was at
Hayfield, four miles northwest of Mount Vernon.
These letters (which continued when he was serving as President) reveal
his character and his methods of doing business.
For example, he wrote: “You must be
governed by circumstances and your own view of the case; with this caution, not
to undertake in this, or in anything else, more than you can accomplish well,
recollecting always, that a thing but half done is never done; and well done,
is, in a manner done for ever." He
instructed his overseer "to correct the abuses which have crept into all
parts of my business. To arrange it properly,
and to reduce things to system; will require, I am sensible, a good deal of
time and your utmost exertions; of the last from the character you bear, I
entertain no doubt; the other, I am willing to allow, because I had rather you
should probe things to the bottom, whatever time it may require to do it, than
to decide hastily upon the first view of them, as to establish good rules, and
a regular system, is the life and the soul of every kind of business (6).”
Those recommendations guide our
work even today. On our finance team,
there is a gentleman who is 83 years old.
He has been working here for the past 25 years, after retiring from his previous
job. Last summer, he underwent several
surgeries and everyone thought he would retire for real this time; but after
several weeks of sick leave, he returned to work, surprising everyone. Don's mind is still very sharp. He takes his job seriously. The more I know Don, the more I admire his
spirit. I realized … if Don’s love of
what he does “equals” one; then the love he holds for his team and this place
equals ten, or even one hundred. I then got an idea to recognize Don's
example. I made an "Employee of the
Year" certificate and presented it to Don on behalf of the team, during
our year-end staff meeting. Don was
surprised. He had tears in his eyes when
I mentioned his accomplishments and why I nominated him for this honor. Don reminded me of my beloved grandfather: never
stopping his work, never giving up - people would look at him with admiration.
Between Dean Norton and Don Bardell
is Ms Susan. She has been working at
Mount Vernon for 38 years. She often
tells me special stories about Mount Vernon that touch my heart.
*
 |
| The New Tomb |
A good friend
traveling from Vietnam, after visiting the first President’s estate, made the
following comments:
"A quite interesting visit, George Washington's Mount
Vernon – the residence
of the first President of the
U.S., located on an immense campus; you will need to have at least 3 hours to walk around,
visit and take pictures... But what impressed me
the most was the
tomb. One for him
and one for his wife, simple and modest,
the two graves were lying on a small hill, where Washington himself had
planned an unpretentious tomb for them. On the other side is the cemetery of those
who served here, when
he was alive. A powerful country should
have a great leader and a modest
tomb... A nation that was founded
not a full 300
years ago. That's all!"
As his will says, George Washington wanted to be buried at
his home in Mount Vernon. He even made provisions
for a new brick tomb to be constructed after his death, which would replace the
original
(7). In 1831, Washington’s body was transferred to the
new tomb, along with the remains of Martha Washington and other family members. Today, with many
trees and tasteful landscaping surrounding the graves, the Washingtons' final
resting place looks peaceful - the true sense of a
place where people come to pay homage to the father of the nation.
Among
the millions of guests who have come to visit Washington's grave, there are many
celebrity names: General Marquis de Lafayette of France; President James
Buchanan, joined by Albert, the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward
VII); King George VI of Britain and his queen; French General Charles de Gaulle
(8)...
The list of famous visitors since 1824 doesn't seem to end. Right after my first week coming to work at
the Mount Vernon, I found my way to George Washington’s and his First Lady's
graves to pray.
The people who
are dedicated to Mount Vernon, from
the founder of the MVLA organization to today’s
staff, volunteers, donors and visitors... all provide important contributions
(both spiritual and material) in the spirit
of sustaining a great cause. Their efforts will
be both appreciated and continued forever. With these thoughts in mind, I
appreciate the opportunity of joining George Washington's estate and take my
work seriously.
I'd like to thank the fates
for leading me to George Washington's home. I'd also
like to thank the controller Will Choi and the CFO Phil Manno for the
opportunity to join their finance team.
Anne Khanh-Van
***
Acknowledgement:
All photos used in this
presentation have been taken from the Mountain Vernon website (http://www.mountvernon.org/).
A great thank you to Dr. Richard
Forrester for proof-reading and editing.
References:
(1)
Book: “The Making of a Nation,” by Richard B.
Morris and the Editors of “Life” magazine
(4)
Website: http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/ann-pamela-cunningham/
(7)
Website: http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/george-washingtons-will/
(8)
Website: http://www.mountvernon.org/the-estate-gardens/the-tombs/famous-visits-to-washingtons-tomb/
